1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a floating dock system suitable for use in marine environments.
2. Description of Related Art
A durable, light-weight dock that is structurally sound is a desire of boating enthusiasts as well as others who wish to access a body of water from its shores. Polymeric foam is buoyant and lightweight and as such is an attractive component for docks. A common practice for assembling docks is to use polymeric foam as a floatation means that supports a metal or wooden foundational frame with wood or composite decking attached to the foundational frame and extending over the polymeric foam. In such a structure, the frame and decking form the visible deck structure on which one walks while the foam is merely a buoyancy means underneath the decking to keep it afloat. The frame further provides a firm location for affixing attachment means such as footings, cleats, dock section connectors, utility poles and the like. Such assemblies are heavy and therefore cumbersome to install and remove each season. Moreover, steel, wood and wood composites are susceptible to degradation and corrosion from environmental exposure over time. Hence, it is desirable to eliminate the foundational framing and decking from the dock structure. There are dock components that do not require the extensive frame and decking of conventional docks.
EZ Docks Unlimited, LLC offers hollow blow-molded or roto-molded polyethylene composition dock sections. The dock sections are light weight and do not require use of a decking material over them. However, because they are hollow they are susceptible to puncturing and filling with water. The molded plastic shapes further require use of specially designed attachment means for connecting dock sections together or for attaching boats or utility structures to the dock sections.
Korean patent KR984008 discloses a dock section comprising an expanded foam core with reinforcing plates taped into place on the top of the foam and then the foam, tape and plates are all coated with a polyurea coating. The reinforcing plates serve a similar purpose as decking material, by protecting the top surface of the foam core.
Korean patent application KR2010130254 discloses another polymeric foam dock sections comprising a foam core coated with at protective coating. Rather complex connecting means are included in the dock section of KR201030254. The connecting means extend through a hollow tube and extend all the way through the foam and protective coating from one side of the dock section to an opposing side. The connecting means have multiple assembled pieces including a spring loaded mechanism within the foam core. The dock section further preferably has a support plate protecting the top surface of the foam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,946 discloses yet another floating dock section that comprises a foam core coated with a protective coating. A plate or decking resides between the foam core and outer protective coating along the top of the dock section with cleats and sidewall members extending therefrom. The floating dock section comprises a large number of components in addition to the foam core, protective coating, plate or decking, cleats and sidewall members including corner pieces and a plurality of eyebolts and nuts. The many pieces of this dock section make its manufacture time consuming and complex. Moreover, the required plate or decking adds undesirable weight to the dock section.
It is desirable to advance the art of light-weight docks by providing a simple dock section that comprises a foam core so it is unaffected by accidental punctures and that does not require a protective plate or decking over the top surface of the foam core. It is further desirable to provide such a dock section that has incorporated common attachment means available in the industry that are affixed to the dock section instead of requiring specially designed attachment means. Moreover, it is desirable to provide such attachment means so that they do not have to bore through the foam core or comprise multiple parts to assemble.